1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and a display device having the same, and more particularly, to a backlight assembly in which a central axis of a light guide plate (“LGP”) and that of one or more light sources are matched with each other to maximize efficiency of the light sources and which has an ultra-slim structure, and a display device having the backlight assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
As modern society becomes more dependent on sophisticated information and communication technology, the market needs for larger and thinner display devices are growing. In particular, since conventional cathode ray tubes (“CRTs”) have failed to fully satisfy these market needs, the demand for flat panel displays (“FPDs”), such as plasma display panels (“PDPs”), plasma address liquid crystal display panels (“PALCs”), liquid crystal displays (“LCDs”), and organic light emitting diodes (“OLEDs”), is exploding.
Being low power-consuming, light, and compact, FPDs are widely applied in computer, electronics, and information and technology (“IT”) industries. Such a display device includes a liquid crystal panel assembly having a liquid crystal panel which displays image information, a backlight assembly having one or more lamps which emit light and a light guide plate (“LGP”) which guides light emitted from the lamps toward the liquid crystal panel, and a housing accommodating the liquid crystal panel assembly and the backlight assembly therein.
Research is actively being conducted to reduce the overall thickness and weight of a display device by reducing sizes of frames and housings which form the exterior of the display device. Meanwhile, efforts are also being made to reduce the overall thickness of a display device by reducing the thickness of an LGP housed in a housing of the display device.
As the thickness of LGPs is reduced almost to that of optical sheets, the arrangement of an LGP and a light source is becoming important. In particular, since the arrangement of an LGP and a light source can directly affect light efficiency, there is a need for a structure which allows the LGP and the light source to be optimally arranged.